Kylie Minogue mania hits Mumbai
Mumbai has been gripped by Minogue mania and her recent visit to record a Bollywood song and blink-and-miss scene with actor Akshay Kumar has stirred and shaken the showbiz scene there.
While monitoring her every move and dissecting her every word on her brush with Bollywood, Kylie Minogue and her eight-day Indian jaunt have sent the media and the masses into a tizzy.
"Is she a diva, who posted a no-entry door outside her rehearsal room?" and, "Is she as divine as she sounds when she waxes lyrical about Bollywood?" are just some of the questions being asked.
Since Minogue had limited her interaction with the press to a general conference in Mumbai, tabloid! sent an e-mail to Bollywood heavyweight Akshay Kumar who has been matching steps with the diminutive diva and hosting her at traditional Indian lunches at his plush residence in Mumbai. In his own words, he simply can't get her out of his head.
Working with Minogue (who is rumoured to have been paid US$1 million (Dh3.67 million) for the song and dance number) has been one of the most enriching experiences in his career, says the actor.
For all those who came in late, Kumar is the lead of Minogue's debut Bollywood vehicle Blue, a big-budget adventure flick about hunting for sunken-treasures.
"I have never been this inspired before. I tell you, that lady is so humble, so dedicated and such a pleasure to work with.
"Believe me, I have acted with many lovely ladies in my time, but Kylie had a quality that I have not seen in anyone. For a lady of her calibre, she has such grace and she is so hard-working. Bollywood welcomes you with open arms, dear Kylie," says Kumar.
Though the last line may sound like the corny dialogue from one of Kumar's over-the-top emotional Bollywood potboilers, Kumar says he was all business prior to his big date with Minogue.
For the record, the Singh is Kinng star is known more for his death-defying stunts and comic timing than his dancing skills.
"The shooting of the song was fantastic. But, I made sure I rehearsed like a mad man for it, because I knew Kylie would pick up everything quick like the pro she is," he says.
But the shooting was not all trouble free, as he was met with a few bumps, literally.
"I'll never forget the shot where I was hit in the face by none other than Kylie's famous derriere, I think it was my face that was in the wrong place at the right time," quips Kumar.
If his e-mail strewn with smiley faces and exclamation marks is anything to go by, the true ice-breaker in Kylie-Akshay friendship was the great Indian lunch.
"In our culture we believe our guest is our god and Kylie wanted to experience traditional Indian food. So the first thing I did was to extract a promise from my wife to stay out of the kitchen and leave the cooking to our master Indian chefs. Kylie was delighted with the meal and agreed there was nothing quite like a home cooked meal," says Kumar.
Being the perfectionist that he is, he also stocked up on continental food.
"I always believe in having a back up. But it was so heartwarming to see Kylie adapt to our culture so lovingly."
But it's not just the talk of Spinning Around singer that gets Kumar rooting for the adventure flick. The movie, scheduled to hit the screens next year, has been creating quite a buzz with its stellar cast and crew.
On board are names such as A. R. Rahman (the Oscar winning composer), Katrina Kaif, Lara Dutta and Sanjay Dutt.
"I'm finally playing a rich dude, it's all about money, boats, babes and bikes for me this time. But I fell in love with the movie the second Tony [D'Souza, the films director] my director told me I'd be wrestling with real live sharks in the film, diving with them - unprotected like live bait.
While monitoring her every move and dissecting her every word on her brush with Bollywood, Kylie Minogue and her eight-day Indian jaunt have sent the media and the masses into a tizzy.
"Is she a diva, who posted a no-entry door outside her rehearsal room?" and, "Is she as divine as she sounds when she waxes lyrical about Bollywood?" are just some of the questions being asked.
Since Minogue had limited her interaction with the press to a general conference in Mumbai, tabloid! sent an e-mail to Bollywood heavyweight Akshay Kumar who has been matching steps with the diminutive diva and hosting her at traditional Indian lunches at his plush residence in Mumbai. In his own words, he simply can't get her out of his head.
Working with Minogue (who is rumoured to have been paid US$1 million (Dh3.67 million) for the song and dance number) has been one of the most enriching experiences in his career, says the actor.
For all those who came in late, Kumar is the lead of Minogue's debut Bollywood vehicle Blue, a big-budget adventure flick about hunting for sunken-treasures.
"I have never been this inspired before. I tell you, that lady is so humble, so dedicated and such a pleasure to work with.
"Believe me, I have acted with many lovely ladies in my time, but Kylie had a quality that I have not seen in anyone. For a lady of her calibre, she has such grace and she is so hard-working. Bollywood welcomes you with open arms, dear Kylie," says Kumar.
Though the last line may sound like the corny dialogue from one of Kumar's over-the-top emotional Bollywood potboilers, Kumar says he was all business prior to his big date with Minogue.
For the record, the Singh is Kinng star is known more for his death-defying stunts and comic timing than his dancing skills.
"The shooting of the song was fantastic. But, I made sure I rehearsed like a mad man for it, because I knew Kylie would pick up everything quick like the pro she is," he says.
But the shooting was not all trouble free, as he was met with a few bumps, literally.
"I'll never forget the shot where I was hit in the face by none other than Kylie's famous derriere, I think it was my face that was in the wrong place at the right time," quips Kumar.
If his e-mail strewn with smiley faces and exclamation marks is anything to go by, the true ice-breaker in Kylie-Akshay friendship was the great Indian lunch.
"In our culture we believe our guest is our god and Kylie wanted to experience traditional Indian food. So the first thing I did was to extract a promise from my wife to stay out of the kitchen and leave the cooking to our master Indian chefs. Kylie was delighted with the meal and agreed there was nothing quite like a home cooked meal," says Kumar.
Being the perfectionist that he is, he also stocked up on continental food.
"I always believe in having a back up. But it was so heartwarming to see Kylie adapt to our culture so lovingly."
But it's not just the talk of Spinning Around singer that gets Kumar rooting for the adventure flick. The movie, scheduled to hit the screens next year, has been creating quite a buzz with its stellar cast and crew.
On board are names such as A. R. Rahman (the Oscar winning composer), Katrina Kaif, Lara Dutta and Sanjay Dutt.
"I'm finally playing a rich dude, it's all about money, boats, babes and bikes for me this time. But I fell in love with the movie the second Tony [D'Souza, the films director] my director told me I'd be wrestling with real live sharks in the film, diving with them - unprotected like live bait.
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